Internal combustion engine



Oc 28, 1969 A. ANEsETn 3,474,768

INTERNAL COMBUST ION ENG INE Filed Nov. 8, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTO/Q ANDREW ANESETT! H/S AT TORNE Y5 A. ANESETTI INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Oct. 28, 1969 W 6 Z E H N mg i M w T E 0 m N N MT w E A Z T s v A t w m w s w m i H 3 W K A y Y 0% Filed Nov. 8, 1967 0a. 28, 1969 A. ANESETTI 3,474,768

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENG INE Filed Nov. 8, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 /N l/EN TOR ANDREW ANESETTI I BY '1 I. yg g 7 7% United States Patent 3,474,768 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Andrew Anesetti, Box 135, Meadow Lands, Pa. 15347 Filed Nov. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 681,539 Int. Cl. F02]: 75/06, 75/32 US. Cl. 123-54 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compact, highly efiicient, internal combustion engine is provided in which opposed vertical pairs-of cylinders are located on a common plane and one vertical pair is fired simultaneously. Primary crankshafts of the pistons of each vertical pair of cylinders have a coaxial inner and outer, solid shaft to sleeve shaft, rotatably-mounted relation with each other, and are actuated in opposite directions such as to produce a more balanced forced relationship. Also, space requirements are minimized between opposed vertical pairs of the assembly, and the ends of the primary crankshafts are operatively connected to a common secondary drive shaft.

This invention relates to an improved internal combustion engine and particularly, to an engine employing cylinder and piston pairs in the same cycle of operation or in a simultaneous engine stroke operation.

An important phase of the invention relates to the use of a pair of cylinders for simultaneous power stroke operation, with their stroke energization imparted initially to separate or independently operating crankshafts and thereafter, through a lever system to a common crankshaft.

The invention deals with providing a simplified engine construction which may be utilized in a conventional fourcycle type of operation, but which will have a better balanced operation and will assure a smooth continuity of power application for driving a crank or transmission shaft. There has been a continuing need for a relatively inexpensive combustion engine, such as a gasoline engine, which can be light in weight and which will have an improved smoothness and efficiency of operation.

It has thus been an object of the invention to devise an internal combustion engine that is particularly suitable for small craft and home appliance utilization, and that will minimize vibration, particularly during acceleration and deceleration thereof;

Another object has been to provide an engine that can be operated with a minimized inertia loss, without crankshaft whip, and at relatively high speeds up to 10,000 r.p.m. or more;

Another object has been to develop an engine that will utilize a compound combustion chamber for an adjacent or stacked group of pistons and, in addition, will utilize pairs of such groups in an opposed positioned relation with each other and in a highly efiicient and effective manner;

A still further object of the invention has been to devise an internal combustion engine that enables a pair or group of simultaneously fired combustion chambers to be utilized in such a manner that one will provide a pulling force on crankshaft mechanism while another will simultaneously provide a pushing force thereon;

A still further object of the invention has been to make possible the utilization of a four-cycle engine in a new and improved manner;

These and other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the illustrated embodiment, the description thereof and the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an end view in elevation and partial sec- 3,474,768 Patented Oct. 2 8, 1969 "ice tion, taken from the drive shaft or back end of an engine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view in elevation on the same scale as and of the engine of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view on the same scale as and of the engine shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmental side section in elevation showing details of a crankshaft structure of the engine on the same scale as FIGURES 1 to 3, inclusive, and taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 5 is an end section in elevation on the scale of FIGURE 4 and taken along'the line 55 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged somewhat diagrammatic end view in elevation illustrating connections between pistons and the crankshaft mechanism of the engine as Well as relative dispositions or operative relations of the pistons; and

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a representative firing order for the cylinders of the illustrated engine.

In carrying out the invention, an internal combustion engine that can effectively make use of fuel gas or gasoline is illustrated as having eight cylinders, with four cylinders on each side thereof arranged in vertically-aligned cylinder pairs or groups with each pair having adjacent separate pistons but a common or composite combustion chamber. Viewed endwise, the engine has opposed pairs of cylinder groups adjacent its front and back end, with each group defining four cylinders that are positioned on a common vertical plane. The pistons of each vertical pair or group of each side of the engine block are operatively-connected to different crankshafts, one of which is an inner or solid shaft and the other of which is a coaxial outer or sleeve shaft. The engine is generally designated as 10 with its cylinders comprising vertical side pairs or groups 11, 12, 13 and 14. For simplicity of illustration, the cylinders are shown as air cooled, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that water or liquid cooling may be utilized.

As particularly illustrated in FIGURES l and 3, adjacent or vertically-aligned cylinders of each group, such as of 11, are designated respectively as 11A and 11B, while their pistons are respectively designated as 1A and 1B and their respective connecting rods as 21A and 21B. In each front and back group of cylinder pairs X and Y, each side pair of cylinders, see cylinders 11A, 11B and 12A, 12B of one vertically aligned group X shown in FIG- URES 1 and 3, has a combustion chamber head 15 that is common for the cylinders of the same pair, and that may be fired by a single spark plug 16 (dual ignition) through the agency of a conventional ignition coil 16A and distributor 17 (see also FIGURE 2). An intake manifold 18 leads from a carburetor 20 to each head 15 and an exhaust manifold 19 leads from each head. A combustible mixture of gas and air flows from the intake manifold 18 to each combustion head 15, as controlled by an intake poppet valve the exhaust of burnt gases is controlled by exhaust poppet valve 26. The valves 25 and 26 may be of conventional construction and may be spring-loaded toward closed positions and opened, as will be hereinafter explained, by a pair of cam shafts and (see FIG- URES 2 and 3) that are driven by a drive or transmission shaft portion 43 of the engine 10, also in a somewhat conventional manner.

As shown particularly, in FIGURE 6, upper piston 1A of cylinder 11a drives a connecting rod 21A which is pivotally-connected at its forward end to one transverse end of a tab-like connector portion 38a of a back one of a pair of front and back, similar cranks, yokes or brackets 38 of bifurcated shape. Each bracket 38 is secured to project from and to connect endwise spaced-apart and adjacent portions of an outer or sleeve primary crankshaft 37. Transversely-opposite, upper piston 2A, through the agency of its connecting rod 22A, is connected to the other transverse end of the connector portion 38a and thus, through the agency of the back yoke or bracket 38, to the same outer sleeve crankshaft 37. This is the connected relationship shown for the upper pistons 1A and 2A of a rear engine group X, see FIGURES 3 and 6 of the drawings.

In the engine front group Y of cylinders, two transversely-opposed bottom cylinders 13B and 14B will have their respective pistons 3B and 4B (see FIGURE 6) operatively-connected by connecting rods 23B and 24B to opposite transverse ends of the tab-like connector tab portion 38a of the second or front-positioned bifurcated, yoke or bracket 38 that also provides an offset connection between adjacent portions of the sleeve crankshaft 37. It will thus appear that an upper, transversely-opposed pair of pistons 1A and 2A of a back cylinder group or assembly X is operatively-connected to the same, sleeve crankshaft 37, as the transversely-opposed, lower pair of postons 3B and 4B of a front group Y or assembly of cylinders. However, as shown in FIGURE 6, the upper, rear pair of pistons 1A and 1B have their yoke 38 extending directly opposite to the yoke 38 of the front, lower pair of pistons 3B and 413.

Further as illustrated, the rear, lower pair of transversely-opposite pistons 1B and 2B of cylinders 11B and 12B are pivotally-connected by connecting rods 21B and 22B to opposite, transverse ends of a common connector tab portion 36a of a bracket, arm or yoke 36 that is secured at its one end to inner or solid primary crankshaft 35 in the spacing between the bifurcations of an associated bracket or yoke 38. Transversely-opposed, upper pair of pistons 3A and 4A of cylinders 13A and 14A of the front group are pivotally-connected by connecting rods 23A and 24A to opposite transverse ends of a common connector tab portion 36a of a second yoke or bracket 36 that is secured at its other end on the inner or solid crankshaft 35 and between bifurcations of the front-positioned bracket or yoke 38.

A firing order is suggested of 1, 2 4 and 3 for corresponding cylinders 11A, 11B and 12A, 12B and 14A, 14B and 13A, 133. Reference is being made to so-called compound cylinders or chambers that are fired simultaneously; for example, one compound cylinder includes a pair of adjacent, vertically-aligned, side cylinders, namely upper cylinder 11A and lower cylinder 11B which respectively operate pistons 1A, 1B and their connecting rods 21A and 21B.

Using the above four-cycle firing order when cylinders 11A and 11B of one side pair are being fired and their respective pistons 1A and 1B are moving towards an outer position, the pistons 2A and 2B of transversely-opposed cylinders 12A and 12B of the other side pair of the same back, vertical group or assembly X will be in their compression stroke. The pistons 4A and 4B of one side pair of cylinders 14A and 14B of the front vertical group or assembly Y will be in an intake stroke for combustion gas and air, and the transversely-opposed side pair of cylinders 13A and 13B will be exhausting burnt gases. When gases are ignited or fired in cylinders 12A and 12B, their pistons 2A and 2B will be moving to an out position, chambers 14A and 14B will be compressing combustion gas and air with their pistons 4A and 4B being moved to an in position, pistons 3A and 3B of cylinders 13A and 13B will be moving in an outward stroke for intaking combustion gas and air, and pistons 1A and 1B of cylinders 11A and 11B will be moving inwardly in an exhaust stroke for burnt gases.

The above is exemplary of a suitable firing order to which the intake and exhaust valves of the valves 25 and 26 of the respective cylinders may be timed. Another suitable firing order is 1, 3, 4 and 2.

As shown particularly in FIGURE 4, primary, coaxially-operating and aligned inner and outer primary crankshafts 35 and 37 operatively-extend from main crankcase 30 through and into secondary crankcase 31. These crankcases may be supplied with circulating lubricating oil in a conventional manner by an oil pump 32 that is illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The extending portion of the inner shaft 35 has a connecting rod or lever arm assembly secured thereon that comprises a transverse arm (see also FIGURE 5) secured at one end thereon and a vertical arm 41 pivotally-secured to the other end of the arm 40. The arm 41 projects downwardly to pivotally-engage a back, offset crank portion 42a of a secondary or common crankshaft 42. In a like manner, a connecting rod or lever arm assembly has a transverse arm 45 secured at one end on the sleeve shaft 37 and a vertical arm 46 pivotally-connected at its upper end to the other end of the arm 45. The arm 46, at its lower end, is pivotally secured on a second or front, offset crank portion 42b of the secondary or common crankshaft 42. Thus, oscillatory turning motion imparted to the two primary shafts 35 and 37 is faithfully and effectively imparted to the common or secondary shaft 42 for driving a suitable output shaft portion 43 which may be in the nature of a transmission or a drive shaft.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 4, pin bearings 50 are shown carried between the shafts 35 and 37 for journaling the inner shaft 35 within the outer shaft 37. Also, the outer shaft 37 is suitably j-ournaled at 51 and 52 within the crankcases 30 and 31, and the inner shaft is journaled at 53 within the crankcase 31, for example, by tapered bearings or any bearings of a suitable conventional type. Also, the secondary shaft 42 is journaled by end bearings 54 and 55. Removal keeper plates 39 may be mounted, as shown, to cover exposed ends of the shafts.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, drive or extension shaft 43 is shown provided with a chain sprocket 56 that receives and meshes with a cam-driving chain 57. The chain 57 also meshes with an upper chain sprocket 58 for driving a pair of valve-operating cam shafts 61 and 65 (see FIGURE 3). The sprocket 58 is secured on the back end of an extension shaft portion 60 of main cam shaft 61. The shaft 60 is thus driven and, in turn, drives main cam shaft 61 through the agency of a coupling 61a. A gear 62 is secured on the front end of the shaft 61 and meshes with a similar gear 63, as shown in FIGURE 3, of a second cam shaft 65 that is positioned beside and in alignment with the shaft 61. The shafts 61 and 65 respectively carry valve-operating cams 60a and 65a which respectively actuate cam rods 60b, and 65b for periodically in a timed relation and in a conventional manner exerting positive force to open the intake valves 25 through the agency of rocker arms 60c and 650. This operation is conventional and is accomplished in accordance with the cycles of operation of the engine.

Although the principles of my invention may be applied an an engine having at least two side pairs of opposed cylinders, wherein the cylinders of each side pair operates cooperatively and are fired simultaneously and a two-cycle engine operation is accomplished, the invention, from an optimum standpoint, applies to an eightcylinder engine and any multiple thereof which may be operated in a four-cycle manner. The illustrated embodiment employs vertically-aligned front and back cylinder pairs on one side of the engine which are in transverse or horizontal alignment with similar pairs on an opposite side of the engine and form vertical assemblies or groups X and Y, in which the pistons of opposed lower cylinders of one group are connected to one primary crankshaft and the pistons of opposed upper cylinders of the same group are operatively-connected to a second primary crankshaft.

When, as illustrated, the opposed cylinders are positioned to extend on common horizontal planes, it will be apparent that space requirements may limit the stroke of the engine so as to make it a high-speed type. However, if desired, an increase of stroke length may be accomplished by disposing the cylinders radially or at an angle with respect to a horizontal or vertical plane.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that its principles may be applied to other embodiments and that various changes, additions and deletions may be made with reference to the illustrated embodiment without departing from its spirit and scope.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft and at least one group of combustion cylinders on a common plane, said group comprising an adjacent aligned pair of combustion cylinders on one side of the engine in an opposed relation with an adjacent aligned pair of combustion cylinders on the other side thereof to define transversely-opposed sets of cylinders, a pair of primary crankshafts operatively-connected to rotate the drive shaft, an associated piston operatively-positioned within each of said cylinders, connecting rods operatvely-connecting pistons of one set of transversely-opposed cylinders of said pairs to one of said crankshafts, connecting rods operatively-connecting pistons of the other set of transversely opposed cylinders of said pairs to the other of said crankshafts, and one crankshaft of said pair of primary crankshafts being a sleeve shaft and the other crankshaft of said pair being a coaxial inner shaft rotatably-positioned within said sleeve shaft.

2. An engine as defined in claim 1 wherein said one set is an upwardly-positioned set and said other set is a lowerpositioned set.

3. An engine as defined in claim 2 wherein said inner and sleeve shafts have opposed and operatively-aligned offset crank portions to which said connecting rods are connected.

4. An engine as defined in claim 1 wherein the cylinders of the aligned pair on one side of the engine have means for firing them simultaneously while the opposed aligned pair on the other side of the engine are operating in a non-firing cycle.

5. An engine as defined in claim 4 wherein the cylinders of the aligned pairs on each side of the engine are provided with a common combustion chamber with the cylinder of the same pair.

6. An engine as defined in claim 5 wherein means is operatively-associated with one said common combustion chamber for firing it in sequence with respect to another of said common combustion chambers and for simultaneously actuating the associated pistons of the fired pair of aligned cylinders on one side of the engine and through said connecting rods and said pair of primary crankshafts imparting a compression stroke to the associated pistons of the pair of aligned cylinders on the other side of the engine.

7. In a method of rotatably-actuating a secondary shaft by means of a pair of primary crankshafts in an internal combustion engine having at least one group of aligned cylinders provided with transversely-opposed cylinder pairs and an associated piston operatively-carried Within each cylinder of the pairs, the steps of simultaneously firing both cylinders of each cylinder pair and in sequence with respect to another cylinder pair and imparting a clockwise turning movement on one primary crankshaft and a counterclockwise turning movement on the other primary crankshaft of the pair, with the firing of each cylinder pair, translating opposite turning movements of the primary crankshafts into a unidirectional turning movement of the secondary shaft, carrying the pair of primary crankshafts as an assembly on a common operating axis, and employing the pair of primary crankshafts at one end of the assembly to rotate the secondary shaft.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein at least two groups of aligned cylinders are provided in a spaced relation with each other, with each group having transversely-opposed cylinder pairs and an associated piston operatively-carried within each cylinder of the pair, wherein the associated pistons of the cylinder pairs are fired in a four-cycle type of operation, and the associated pistons of each cylinder pair when fired are employed to move the associated pistons of an opposite cylinder pair of the same group through a compression cycle and to move the associated pistons of the cylinders of the opposed cylinder pairs of the other group through intake and exhaust strokes.

9. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the associated pistons of the opposite cylinder pair are moved by the firing of the other cylinder pair of the same group in a compression stroke.

10. In a method as defined in claim 7, employing cam and lever connections between the pair of primary crankshafts and the secondary shaft for rotating the secondary shaft.

11. In an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft and at least one group of combustion cylinders on a common plane, said group comprising an adjacent aligned pair of combustion cylinders on one side of the engine in an opposed relation with an adjacent aligned pair of combustion cylinders on the other side thereof to define transversely-opposed sets of cylinders, a pair of primary crankshafts operatively-connected to rotate the drive shaft, an associated piston operatively-positioned within each of said cylinders, connecting rods operativelyconnecting pistons of one set of transversely-opposed cylinders of said pairs to one of said crankshafts, connecting rods operatively-connecting pistons of the other set of transversely opposed cylinders of said pairs to the other of said crankshafts, a secondary crankshaft operatively carried by the engine and connected to the drive shaft, said pair of primary crankshafts being operatively-positioned in a coaxial relatively rotatable inner and outer relation with each other, and means operatively-connecting end portions of said primary crankshafts to said secondary crankshaft to translate movement imparted to said primary crankshaft into rotating movement of said secondary crankshaft.

12. In an internal combustion engine as defined in claim 11, said operatively-connecting means comprising crank and lever means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1909 Enrietti. 6/1930 Delfino.

WENDELL E. BURNS, Primary Examiner 

